Editing Prior art (section)

{{Short description|Concept in patent law}}
{{Patent law}}
'''Prior art''' (also known as '''state of the art'''<ref>{{cite book |last1=Sreenivasulu |first1=N. S. |last2=Raju |first2=C. B. |year=2008 |title=Biotechnology and Patent Law: Patenting Living Beings |publisher=Manupatra |page=95 |isbn=9788189542313 |quote=The European Patent Convention uses the term 'state of the art' which is equivalent to prior art (...)}}</ref> or '''background art'''<ref>"The expression 'background art' ... must have the same meaning as the more familiar expression 'prior art'" in [http://www.epo.org/law-practice/case-law-appeals/recent/t820011ep1.html EPO Board of appeal decision T 11/82 of 15 April 1983] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180729111736/http://www.epo.org/law-practice/case-law-appeals/recent/t820011ep1.html |date=29 July 2018 }}, Headnote II and Reasons 15. See also {{EPC Rule|42|1|b) and(c}} (previously {{EPC 1973 Rule|27|1|b) and (c}}, where the term is used).</ref>) is a concept in [[patent law]] used to determine the [[patentability]] of an invention, in particular whether an invention meets the [[Novelty (patent)|novelty]] and the [[inventive step or non-obviousness]] criteria for patentability. In most systems of patent law,<ref>See for example {{EPC Article|54|2}} and {{USC|35|102}}</ref> prior art is generally defined as anything that is made available, or disclosed, to the public that might be relevant to a patent's [[claim (patent)|claim]] before the [[Priority right|effective filing date]] of a patent application for an invention. However, notable differences exist in how prior art is specifically defined under different national, regional, and international patent systems.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Regulations under the PCT: Rule 33 Relevant Prior Art for the International Search|url=https://www.wipo.int/pct/en/texts/rules/r33.html|access-date=29 December 2021|website=WIPO|archive-date=29 December 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211229120515/https://www.wipo.int/pct/en/texts/rules/r33.html|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|date=October 2021|title=Certain aspects of National/Regional Patent Laws|url=https://www.wipo.int/scp/en/national_laws/prior_art.pdf|access-date=29 December 2021|website=WIPO}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|title=Regulations under the PCT: Rule 64 Prior Art for International Preliminary Examination|url=https://www.wipo.int/pct/en/texts/rules/r64.html|access-date=29 December 2021|website=WIPO|archive-date=29 December 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211229120521/https://www.wipo.int/pct/en/texts/rules/r64.html|url-status=live}}</ref>

The prior art is evaluated by patent offices as part of the patent granting process in what is called "substantive examination" of a patent application in order to determine whether an [[Patent claim|invention claimed]] in the patent application meets the novelty and inventive step or non-obviousness criteria for patentability. It may also be considered by patent offices or courts in [[Opposition proceeding|opposition]] or invalidity proceedings. Patents disclose to society how an invention is practiced, in return for the right (during a limited term) to exclude others from manufacturing, selling, offering for sale or using the patented invention without the patentee's permission.  

Patent offices deal with prior art searches in the context of the patent granting procedure. A patent search is frequently carried out by patent offices or patent applicants in order to identify relevant prior art.<ref name=":0">{{Cite web|date=2015|title=Finding Technology Using Patents - An Introduction|url=https://tind.wipo.int/record/28607?ln=en&v=pdf|access-date=23 May 2025|website=WIPO}}</ref><ref name=":1">{{Cite web|date=2015|title=WIPO Guide to Using Patent Information|url=https://www.wipo.int/edocs/pubdocs/en/wipo-pub-rn2021-1e-en-wipo-guide-to-using-patent-information.pdf|access-date=23 May 2025|website=WIPO}}</ref> Certain patent offices may also rely on the patent search results of other patent offices or cooperate with other patent offices in order to identify relevant prior art.<ref name=":2">{{Cite web|date=2014|title=Alternatives in Patent Search and Examination|url=https://www.wipo.int/edocs/pubdocs/en/wipo_pub_guide_patentsearch.pdf|access-date=29 December 2021|website=WIPO|archive-date=20 January 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220120222436/http://www.wipo.int/edocs/pubdocs/en/wipo_pub_guide_patentsearch.pdf|url-status=live}}</ref> Prior art may also be [[Public participation in patent examination|submitted by the public]] for consideration in examination or in opposition or invalidity proceedings. Relevant prior art identified by patent offices or patent applicants are often cited by patent applicants in patent applications and by patent offices in [[Search report|patent search reports]].<ref name=":3">{{Cite web|date=March 2016|title=Handbook on Industrial Property Information and Documentation: Standard St.14 Recommendation For The Inclusion Of References Cited In Patent Documents|url=https://www.wipo.int/export/sites/www/standards/en/pdf/03-14-01.pdf|access-date=29 December 2021|website=WIPO}}</ref>